Many of today's funniest people actually hold university/college degrees. Below is a collection of just a few of these celebrities.
Jon Stewart
Best known for hosting Comedy Central's “The Daily Show”, comedian Jon Stewart was always the "geeky" type during his school years. He played in the band during his high school years, was teased by other kids, and placed third in his high school class. He went on to earn a Psychology from the College of William and Mary.
Conan O'Brien
Conan's educational background is quite astonishing. He graduated as valedictorian from Brookline High School in Massachusetts and then went on to Harvard to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History and Literature. He graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Jay Leno
Comedian Jay Leno spent most of years in school clowning around. One of his grade school teachers wrote on his report card that if he spent as much time studying as he did trying to be a comedian he'd be a star someday. After high school graduation, Jay attended Emerson College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Therapy degree. He performed stand-up comedy at nightclubs to earn some extra money while in college
David Letterman
Comedian David Letterman received a Bachelor of Arts degree Ball State University with a major in Telecommunications. While In University he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was also a broadcaster for the student-run radio station and continued with the radio broadcasting after graduation, until he moved to Los Angeles to write for sitcoms such as Good Times.
Will Farrell
Will Farrell was also a "class clown" through his grade school years. He played for his high school football team as a kicker and developed an interest in sports information out of his sports involvement. He went on to obtain a Sports Information degree from the University of South California in Los Angeles.
Jerry Seinfeld
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld began his university career at State University of New York at Oswego but later transferred to Queens College to earn a degree in Bachelor of Arts Theatre and Communications. It was here where he developed a strong interest in stand-up comedy.
Robin Williams
Comedian and actor Robin Williams has an extraordinary educational background. Although he was quite shy for most of his adolescent life, he joined his high school drama club, which later earned him acceptance into the prestigious Juilliard School in the Advanced Standing program. Only two or three students are accepted to this program each year. It was Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve that earned these two spots. The two became life-long friends.
Denis Leary
Comedian Denis Leary graduated from Emerson College in 1979 in acting and writing. He was a member of the College's comedy workshop. Upon graduation, he took a job with the college as a comedy writing teacher. He remained in the job for five years.
Jeff Foxworthy
Foxworthy surprisingly has an IT degree from Georgia Tech. He was working with IBM for several years in mainframe maintenance. It wasn't until he entered Great Southeastern Laugh-off at Atlanta's Punch Line comedy club when he became interested in a career in stand-up comedy.
Sacha Baron Cohen
Famous for his roles as Ali G. and Borat, Sacha Baron Cohen attended Christ's College at the University of Cambridge in England and studied history. He wrote his thesis on the Jewish involvement with the American Civil Rights movement.
